Issue 3 2009 The Galleon

TIME’S TICKING INTO THE FUTURE

Take a look at the strange events of the 2000s and read about what is in store for the future.

“YOU GOT ME DEAD BANG”

Read about the 5 River students that rock with a bang.

ENTERTAINMENT 13

FEATURE FOCUS 10- 11

THE GALLEON Spanish River High School

5100 Jog RD, Boca Raton, FL 33496

Economic turmoil limits options for students

Issue 3 Volume 26

December 2009

HOW SWEET IT IS

A look inside of what it takes to be an ice cream taste tester: the “sweetest job in America”.

FEATURES 9

Galleonnewsonline.com

Burkey wins high honor

By BRITTANY SPRINGSTED STAFF REPORTER Recent college cost increases, in addition to a harsh economic situation, have caused some to reconsider their college education plans.

This year, most families are expecting to pay an additional $172 to $1,096 for tuition and fees than in the 20082009 school year, the College Board reported.

Affordability is an important factor to consider when deciding on a college, especially in an economic recession.

To save money, some are choosing public schools over private ones. The average cost of a four-year private college is $26,273, up 4.4 percent from last year’s average, compared to $7,020, up 6.5 percent, for a four-year public institution, according to the College Board.

Another way to reduce college tuition fees is to decide on a public, in-state college. Florida’s residential tuition is set at about 25 percent of the original cost, and many state scholarships and programs can be applied to create a further discounted price.

“Most of my students have decided to stay in-state for college,” college advisor Majorie Murstein said.

Financial aid opportunities that can *article continued on page 3

PHOTO BY LEE GINTON

Students listen intently as Economics teacher Brett Burkey lectures using his award-winning, innovative teaching methods. Burkey has been named the 2009 GATE High School Teacher of the Year.

By MARLA MUNRO STAFF REPORTER Economics teacher Brett Burkey has been named the 2009 Global Association for Teaching Economics (GATE) High School Teacher of the Year.

GATE is a support organization for Economics and Business teachers all over the United States; it grants resources for teachers and holds workshops and conferences. The GATE High School Teacher of the Year honor is bestowed upon one teacher each year from around the nation.

Each teacher must be nominated to be considered. The winner is selected from a pool of nominees based on outstanding teaching ability and innova-

tive teaching methods.

In addition to winning the award, Burkey also received a trophy and a fully-funded trip to Washington, D.C. “The experience was wonderful,” Burkey said. “I am very humbled and honored to win the award because I know that there are a lot of hardwork-

“

Mr. Burkey always keeps class interesting with his new and different powerpoints and lessons.

-Lindsay Melcher, 12

”

ing teachers out there that are equally deserving.”

Burkey’s fellow teachers at Spanish River could not be more proud of his

accomplishments.

“Mr. Burkey and I have been working together for 25 years as friends and colleagues,” American History teacher Steve Staggs said. “I am very happy for his success.”

When Burkey is not teaching at Spanish River, he leads workshops for South Florida Economics teachers through Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Economic Education. The Center’s director, Dr. Bill Bosshardt, nominated Burkey for the award.

Burkey’s recognition comes as no surprise to his students.

“Mr. Burkey always keeps class interesting with his new and different powerpoints and lessons,” senior Lindsay Melcher said. “I think he definitely deserves the award.”

Healthcare system looks for a cure

By MAX MORGENSTERN NEWS EDITOR As a senate vote on healthcare nears, partisan turmoil is heating up.

The differences between Republicans and Democrats are being made more apparent.

Nearly 50 million U.S. citizens lack health insurance, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A survey conducted by The Galleon revealed that almost 20 percent of Spanish River students live without any form of health insurance, and 90 percent believe that healthcare reform is needed.

“I don’t even know what I would do [if I needed medical attention],” an anonymous, uninsured Spanish River student said. “I guess I would go to the hospital and beg them to take me in

News Briefs

and let me stay.”

At Spanish River, the conflict has been transformed into a blazing battle between those who favor a liberal approach and those who support a conservative one.

“Many Americans are not getting the care they need,” Y o u n g Democ r a t s c o president Kate H e f f e r - nan said. “We [The Spanish River Young Democrats] are

for the public option.”

The public option is a major component of the pending health insurance plan that would create a system comparable to Medicare. However, while Medicare mainly covers senior citizens, the public insurance o p t i o n w o u l d provide coverage for those without emp l o y ART BY BRITTANY SPRINGSTED e r - provided or other existing forms of health

insurance.

Those who oppose the public option proposal believe that its chance of success is implausible. Furthermore, they fear that public health insurance will be detrimental to the country’s commercial healthcare industry, the largest sector of the U.S. economy according to a recent U.S. Department of Labor report.

“Personally, I am against the public option because of the harm that it will do to the economy,” Palm Beach Teenage Republican Chairman John Clark said. “I would rather see the government implement tax incentives and ‘common sense’ policies that promote healthy lifestyles.”

In the ensuing months, the power struggle between the two heavyweight political parties will determine the fate of healthcare in the U.S.

Pathfinder Nomina- Obama to send 30,000 Spanish River student “New Moon” to be top tions announced. more troops to Af- Isabele Oliviera wins the grossing film of 2009.

Congratulations to all. ghanistan. title of Miss Brazil.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE News 1, 3

Opinion 4, 5, 7 Features 8, 9

Feature Focus 10, 11

Entertainment 12, 13, 15 Student Life 16, 17 Sports 18, 19, 20

2

December 2009 The Galleon

SHARK ATTACK

From the Editors’ Desk...

We hope you enjoy this issue of The Galleon.

We have articles ranging from international entertainment to DNA art. We feature several students such as Aaron Simon Gross and Allie North. Also, as Winter Break nears we have a calendar of a few fun events that might spark your interest on page 13. Or there is a helpful holiday gift guide on page 5 if you are having trouble selecting the perfect gift for someone special.

During this holiday season spend time with friends and family. But remember to be safe as well.

If you have any comments about The Galleon please send letters to the editors and they might make their way in the paper. Also, don’t forget to check out our new website at galleonnewsonline.com.

Dear Editor, I was reading the article “What does hard work really mean?” I loved this article because it really got down to the truth of the matter that we, as students, aren’t given enough credit when we get an upper letter grade. I mean last quarter I had an A in English the whole time and then at the end it fell to a high B. Instead of getting some extra pat on the back that a B+ gives, I just got a B. People really beat themselves up when they just see a flat grade of a B or a C instead of a B+ or a C+ when they worked for something so much better. Thank you for putting your viewpoint out there for students like me to see.

- Michael Kiken, 11

Photo courtesy of

Montana Photo by Tu crowd ple cker rocks the staAlban Harrison asing perf ge with a ormance the River. during Ro ck

Da

Harris Markowitz, vid Keefer for On Time Photography 12, and Brooke W oolard, 11, at lunch after the pep rally.

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David Keefer

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team silly st powderpuff The senior rally. oming pep at the homec

TV P show roductio n s than the aud teache Photo by A r lb just broa ience the Randy an Harrison dcas W ting. re is mor eddle e to him

Letters from the crowd

Dear Editor, In response to the weed article,I believe that movies don’t influence teens to smoke. Movies like Pineapple Express and Grandma’s Boy which have a lot of green stuff in it, don’t really promote it, they just happen to have it. I am not going to start smoking pot because a fat actor with a horrible fro is looking for Pineapple Express. If you start something because you saw it then you aren’t the smartest cookie in the cookie jar.

-David Berntson, 11

Dear Editor, I was reading your article on healhier foods and I agreee the school needs to promote a healthier diet to the students.

The problem with having a healthy vending machine, with fresh fruits and salads is that these products have short expiration dates and air conditioning would be needed every second to keep the fruit and vegetables fresh. However, putting dried fuits in vending machines would be more successful because dried fruits have long expiration dates and provide a healthy alternative for the students. Another way to promote a healthy diet to the students would be to use olive oil and broil the food rather than fry it. By using these alternatives, I believe our school can display a positive healthy image to its students and faculty.

-Adam Grossman, 11

THUMBS UP

Last exams for seniors Winter Vacation Holiday foods

Dear Editor, I agree with Charlie Vilmar who wrote about his opinion on if the school day should start later. Of course I would love to not have to wake up at 6 in the morning, but I would hate getting home so late. He made many great points about how students have school activities that would possibly be canceled or moved to a later time.

I think that many students don’t realize that a later start means a later end and once they did realize that they would probably stop complaining.

One point that Charlie did not make was that all schools need to start at different times in order for the bus schedule to flow. So if we started at the same time as Boca High then we would probably have to get more buses.

- Morgan Edwards, 9

Midterm Exams Scary Subs Parking Lot Fiasco

THUMBS DOWN

Happy Holidays from the Galleon!

NEWS

December 2009 The Galleon

3

Students face limited college options Voices in the Crowd

*Article continued from page 1

help students pay for both in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities include scholarships, grants, pre-paid plans and loans. Also, more families will be able to qualify for a tax credit to help pay for college expenses due

“

Everyone needs help with tuition costs in one way or another.

-Jessica Brown, 12

”

University of Florida

University of Central Florida

Florida State University

Ohio State University

Harvard University

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Southern California

to part of the 2009 Stimulus Plan known as the American Opportunity Credit.

The Bright Futures Scholarship Program is one of the most popular state programs that provides aid to students. Since 1997, Bright

Source: Princeton Review

Futures has been offering monetary awards to those who achieve academic success and plan on attending a college or university in Florida. In order to be considered, a student must apply for the scholarship in their last year of high school and earn a Florida standard high school diploma, or its equivalent.

However, because of a rising number of applicants, scholarships such as Bright Futures are becoming increasingly harder to win.

“I think it is ridiculous that there are such high standards for obtaining scholarships,” senior Jessica Brown said. “Everyone needs help with tuition costs in one way or another.”

Murstein says that obtaining high grades can increase one’s chance of receiving a merit scholarship, and more scholarship money will be available if a student decides to stay in state.

“If I go to a college in Florida, I would rely on Bright Futures to cover the cost,” senior Ellie Faust said. “But, if I attend an out-of-state college, then I don’t have any scholarships to help with the tuition.”

As the college application season comes to an end, families’ savings are about to face the brunt of the storm.

Students who choose in-state colleges over out-of-state ones will avoid falling into as deep of a financial abyss.

Undergraduate Tuition Fees for a Florida Resident

How have college cost increases and the economy affected your college application process?

“It’s not going to stop me from applying. If I get into UM [University of Miami], I am going to be looking into a lot of financial aid.”

Sarah Kaplan, 12

“Looking into the future, I have decided to stay in-state for undergrad so that I can go out-of-state for graduate school.”

Teddy Egers, 12

“It makes Florida schools more attractive. I prefer smaller schools, but because UF [University of Florida] is free, I am considering it.”

Samantha Klasfeld, 12 PHOTOS BY LEE GINTON

Mission implausible: high standards push students, teachers to the limit

By ALBAN HARRISON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Some hate it, some think it is necessary for equality.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB), signed into law by President George W. Bush, is in its seventh year. The law’s “adequate yearly progress” goals require 100 percent of students in a school to be deemed academically proficient by passing the FCAT by 2014, lest the school be designated as failing.

Intensive Reading teacher Honora Monesterio teaches her students, who have failed the FCAT, “search and

Mission:

destroy” techniques in order to improve their reading skills. She is hopeful that students will be able to meet the 2014 goal of a 100 percent passing rate.

“That’s what we want and strive for,” Monesterio said. “The teachers can want it, but the students have to want it too.”

Monesterio thinks the main reason students fail the FCAT is due to lack of motivation or faulty techniques, such as skimming the test or misreading the questions.

However, AP Psychology teacher Tom DiFiglio has a different view.

He wrote a letter to the Washington Post expressing his view that, if the mandates of NCLB are maintained,

almost every school in the nation will be determined failing within the next five years.

“The concept of I.Q. is real,” DiFiglio wrote. “It has not been obviated, yet NCLB ignores the inevitable and natural variation amongst individuals. Therefore the main NCLB goal, proficiency for all, becomes an oxymoron when the standards set for students are said to be both challenging and achievable. No goal or standard can, simultaneously, be both challenging and achievable by all students across the entire spectrum.”

In fact, this is the basis for the NCLB’s popular nickname, “No Child Left in Front.”

Senior Jacqueline Chait, who must pass FCAT Reading to graduate, thinks the design of the FCAT makes it difficult to pass. She says she goes in to take the test motivated and ready, but the passages are long and boring and she cannot concentrate.

“I don’t think I do well on long tests,” she said. “In class I do well; I get A’s mostly.”

As NCLB has not been revised to provide more leeway for schools, Spanish River is still trying to meet its goals.

“Kids get frustrated, but they can’t let the test beat them,” Monesterio said.

of Spanish River students passed the FCAT in March 2009

of Spanish River students needed to pass the FCAT by 2014

“To ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic standards and state academic assessments.”

- U.S. Department of Education

70%

100%

The Galleon 2009-2010

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Alban Harrison Samantha Shavell

FEATURES EDITORS Natalie Deutsch Nicole Granet

SPORTS EDITORS Matthew Chan Renee Siegel

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Natalie Deutsch

FEATURE FOCUS EDITOR Sid Bajracharya

STUDENT LIFE EDITORS Phoebe Dinner Lindsey Gold

ART EDITORS Marla Munro Brittany Springsted

NEWS EDITOR Max Morgenstern

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Sophie Levin Samantha Schaum

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Lee Ginton

WEB EDITORS Joey Goldman Josh Lieberman PRINCIPAL Dr. Susan Atherley

The Galleon is a public forum.

STAFF REPORTERS Richard Borge Nicole Elinoff Lee Ginton Joey Goldman Emma Grubman Josh Lieberman Kathy Long Marla Munro Brittany Springsted ADVISER Suzanne Sanders

The Galleon is a member of Quill and Scroll Honorary Society for High School Journalists, Florida Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association

4

December The Galleon

OPINION

OPINION

Drive across the country and you will see that most of it is just empty space: a road, grass, maybe some trees and a few gas stations. It’s the kind of environment forces you to wait in traffic for hours because no detours exist. You travel along a skinny line; fall off it and you fall off the world.

I had the privilege/ill-fortune to experience this for myself. On a three-day road trip from Chicago, Illinois to Baltimore, Maryland to the one and only Boca Raton, Florida, I experienced America’s open roads at their best and worse.

Zipping along Instersate 65 from Chicago, the speed limit rises to 70 mph, which means that you travel at 80 mph past... nothing. Turnpike style rest-stops, conglomerations of brand name fast-food places along the highway with no way out, are like a breath of fresh air, a reminder that yes, civilization does still live on.

But after my day of driving past nothing and stopping for nothing but Quarter-Pounders, -Asian Sensation Salad and Pumpkin Spice Lattes a dozen times, I was served a welcome reminder of the emptiness of most of America.

The Days Inn looked like it should be in a

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!” It’s a new year- and here come the resolutions. The things you want to do, to not do, to try harder at and for the most part people do keep them even if it only is until January 2. What can we do to make our resolutions succeed for a longer time? My advice: isolate your goal, be specific, make it attainable and be flexible.

Isolate: When setting your resolutions, pick something you really want to do. For example, if you enjoy pets then volunteer at a shelter. If you care about it, you will be better able to accomplish it. Do not pick a resolution just because your friends are picking it or because you saw it was one of the most popular on a website or because you think it is something you should say.

Be specific: Instead of saying you that want to reduce stress, pick a specific way and do that for a week. Get another hour of sleep, take a yoga class, exercise after school, or spend five minutes thinking of your favorite place to be before you walk into school, take a test, or sit down to do your homework.

Make it attainable: It is n o t realistic to say “I am going to lose twenty p o u n d s

in one week”, all that’s going to do it make you weak, tired and more likely to over eat.

Instead, say “I am going to lose five pounds” and do not set a time limit. That way, when you lose the five pounds, you will be more likely to keep going and lose five more.

Be flexible: If you start your resolution and it is too much, revise. Resolutions are meant to be kept, contrary to popular belief. If it seems too hard to get one grade higher in the class overall, try taking one test or quiz at a time. Once you see an improvement in your grade, you will be more motivated to continue t o work harder to get to the next level.

The resolutions w e set may seem small in the scheme of things but change is something that does not come easy to most. You have got to set small goals in order to get to your larger goals. If you fail along the way, do not abandon, persevere. Think of it as a set back and continue. Moreover, the sense of accomplishment you will have in the fact that you did not let an obstacle stop you will empower you.

You might be asking yourself “What resolutions is this girl going to set who seems to know so much?” The truth is I am like most people; I

set my resolutions but often do not follow through with them. That is why this year I am going to set resolutions that I know I can keep. As of now, I have thought of two.

First, I want to take some of the stress out of my life. I feel like I have been working for eighteen years straight, always studying, always doing some kind of school work (even before its due).

So, in the new year, I a m not going to kill myself to get work done because the fact of the matter is I am only going to be young for so long. And as my mom says, “Enjoy these years, because you can’t go back as much as you wish you could”.

My second resolution is to stop my infamous habit of second guessing myself.

I know studies show that your first instinct is always right, but I have this habit of talking myself into the other answer choices. I know many of you fall prey to the same distracter. Let’s just say usually I end up changing the correct answer.

One final piece of advice: set your goals before 11:59 on December 31. A resolution is like anything else, it needs planning. If you put some thought into it, it might last longer than a day.

By SAMANTHA SHAVELL EDITOR IN CHIEF As the holiday season approaches, we are remembered of traditions from the past.

Whether it is placing ornaments on a Christmas tree as a family or having Chanukkah dinner with your loved ones.

For me, traditions start with Thanksgiving. We eat our customary store bought turkey on paper plates and then watch a movie as a family. It usually takes longer to pick a movie than it does to actually watch the movie, and this year, we could not agree on a movie so we watched a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory (my family is a bunch of nerds).

Sadly, for Chanukkah as my brothers and I have grown older, our traditions have dissipated. The only one that truly remains is that my grandparents still come over the first night and we open presents. Every Christmas (even though I don’t celebrate it), my family and I watch It’s a Wonderful Life at 8 on ABC. But that’s it.

However, this year I

extra trinkets to give to people if they buy me a gift. Nothing big, just something to have in case they have something for me. And if they don’t end up giving me a gift, then I will donate those trinkets to children less fortunate than me. Because that is truly what this season is all about.

As my family evolves and I grow, I have to remember that nothing stays the same for long.

As my old traditions fade, new ones will flourish. Maybe i n stead of opening a present a night, the new tradition is opening them all at once.

But the most important thing I have to remember during this holiday is what the season is all about.

I cannot get carried away with buying a gift for a particular person who I am not that close with anymore. This season is about giving and family, not about the materialistic items that are waiting to be opened.

Art By Marla Munro

horror movie. I swerved off the highway and ended up on a small road that curved around hilly terrain.

My trusty TomTom navigation system informed me that, “You have reached your destination,” and I glanced up. To my left was a low hill. Halfway up lay a deserted gas station with no lights on, completely dark. Further up was the vague outline of a building, obscured by the faint haze of snow and a windshield with a broken defog function. I drove toward it.

As my dad checked into the inn, I waited in the parking lot. Suddenly, I realized that it was empty. One red truck lay parked behind me. Dozens of parking spaces were deserted. I watched through the glass entryway as my dad got a room. He was talking to the inn keeper, a bearded ethnic man who looked like he should star in a movie titled “The Yeti.”

When I woke up at 7:30 in the morning, it was that same Yeti who informed me that the restaurant with free breakfast was closed (no surprise there seeing as we were the sole guests of the inn) and led me to a another hotel room, complete with a bed and toiletry supplies, where breakfast was being served.

I stumbled in, grabbed a meal-sized box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and some really terrible coffee and left, assaulted by the 30 degree weather as I walked to my car. I zipped away from the inn and the sad life that man led, watching a deserted, probably bankrupt

inn and not shaving.

My next day would bring me into what I consider to be The South.

There is something unsettling about walking into an Arby’s where everyone has a country accent and then walking out and seeing an old man sitting on your car, his dowdy family clustered around him, fanning him. I walked out, and because I wanted to show some Southern hospitality, I just beeped the horn a few times with my keys instead of actually asking them to, “Get the !@%$# off my car.” In Boca, we rest on benches, not on other people’s cars.

What I realized is that in Boca Raton we actually have it pretty easy. We have multiple highways, so if I-95 has too much traffic, we can just take the Turnpike. Our tourism industry is thriving (relative to the empty Days Inn). And here, old people have power chairs; and even if they don’t, the cars have alarms that go off when you bump into (or sit on) them. Boca Raton is a sunny paradise. Just look around at all the condos; we never have to fear empty space.

Photos courtesy of google images

Galleon's

Christmukahkwanza gift guide For Dad

Get him a mid-priced watch, like this one from Fossil for $75.

A less expensive choice: frame a picture of you and him.

Art By Brittany Springsted

How Sammi stole Chanukkah want to return to our old traditions of a family dinner on the first night and lighting the candles each night, followed by the opening of one present per person. I also want to r ekindle my childhood love of playing dreidel with my brothers for gelt. As I think to the future, I realize that nothing will stay the same next year. I will be in college visiting my family for the holidays. I hate change, I’m a creature of habit and just the thought of everything changing brings a shiver down my spine. Even though I will still come home for the holidays, it will never be the same. I want to cherish this year, my last year as a child.

So for this holiday, family traditions will be back. But what about that one person that you used to be friends with, the one you exchanged gifts with each year but as times change, you change and realize that you weren’t as close as you were before?

Do you still exchange presents? Do you buy them a present even if they don’t get you one? Should you buy one just in case? All these questions come flooding into your brain. You don’t want to be rude but you don’t want to buy a gift for someone that you aren’t that close with either. I decided that I will buy a few

5

1,200 miles to understanding

By ALBAN HARRISON EDITOR IN CHIEF

By NATALIE DEUTSCH ASSOCIATE EDITOR

December 2009 The Galleon

For Mom

Get her a gift certificate to favorite spa. Try the Balinesian spa off Swinton in Delray Beach.

A less expensive choice: give her a homemade gift card, promising to do chores.

For Brother

Get your brother a cool t-shirt from a store like Pacsun or Hollister.

A less expensive choice: buy him candy.

For Sister Buy her a a bracelet. When it glimmers, she will think of her generous sibling.

A less expensive choice: get her boutique soap with a nice scent.

For Boyfriend

Buy him cologne. At least when you are near him, he will smell good.

A less expensive choice: treat him to popcorn and have a nice night in watching a movie.

For Girlfriend

Get her jewelry. She will wear it every day and it will remind her of your love.

A less expensive choice: give her a teddy bear, roses and chocolate.

6

December 2009 The Galleon

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a

OPINION

FACE OFF YES!

By ALLIE ENGLAND SENIOR

Every student at Spanish River High School is required to obtain 20 community service hours to graduate. 20 hours is not a lot and the school does not specify how students earn them. For Florida Bright Futures, however, they require 75. Some students work at shelters, volunteer at camps, donate cans for the food drive, or even donate blood. Some of these tasks require personal funds to provide what is needed, (cans for the food drive), and some students consider this “buying your hours”. Yes, in a way they are but the initial goal of the project is being fulfilled. We are able to help people either way.

Some projects require money and it needs to be completed, even if it is as simple as buying a couple cans of food. In these hard economic times, the soup kitchens need our help.

This Thanksgiving, some of the soup kitchens will have to turn people away because they do not have enough food for the increased number of people who need it for their families. We have been fortunate enough to not be in their situation so why shouldn’t we help? I believe that whatever type of community service a student performs, they should be rewarded for it. THEY ARE STILL HELPING THE COMMUNITY. I prefer it to someone who does nothing. Now, I’m not asking everyone to go out and spend money but just help.

Do what you can. It is not hard to help your community. There are so many community service opportunities out there, even right at Spanish River.

F o r example, we have several blood drives a year.

One student can save three lives just from donating a pint of blood. If that’s not for you, student council has many events throughout the year to help the community.

A lot of clubs have different drives throughout the year as well. Another great idea to get involved and help the school is asking any of your teachers if they need help either grading papers or tutoring other students. Those are just ones happening at our school. Students can help out at local animal shelters, attend one of the many annual charity walks, or even Habitat for Humanity is a widely known organization. It’s not about quantity it’s about quality and helping people who are less fortunate than yourself. All of us can help and make a difference we just have to try.

December 2009 The Galleon

7

Should students be able to earn community service hours through donations?

NO!

By ISABELA ADAO JUNIOR

Community service is the practice of altruism within one’s community. It is cleaning a park, planting a tree, tutoring younger children, caring for elders, helping the less fortunate, seeking to do good. Programs such as Key Club International, Environmental Club, Boys Scouts or Girl Scouts were created to engage the members of a community in a common purpose, to weld its members together while catering to the needs of marginalized members of their society. Allowing students to, essentially, pay for community service hours just so they will have enough hours to graduate or to make their college resumes more attractive than of the rest virtually expels the humanitarian purpose of community service. Sure, buying a can of dog chow feeds a hungry, desolate dog.

Sure, donating a Care Bear may give a wounded child something to smile about in the morning. Sure, spending your money takes care of many people’s needs. But you will only be able to imagine the litter of starved skinny sick puppies leaping with ecstasy at the slightest scent of a meal, their yelps of pain being overcome by little playful barks.

It’s their seventh heaven. You will only be able to imagine how it feels to be the one who brought the color back to a woman’s aged face - in the nursing home, she hasn’t seen her family in years and you might be her only friend. You will only be able to imagine the smile blooming on a little girl’s face at the sight of the fluffy fun-loving Care Bear. When she receives your gift, she knows there is someone outside of her tiny paucityfilled world who cares enough to make an effort when everyone else seems to l o o k right through her. But she will never know that you are that someone. You will never know that you are that someone who brightened up her day. You are just a faceless entity, almost a number. And that is exactly what the litter of hungry puppies and the girl who only needs a little attention mean to you: numbers, hours on a pink sheet, credentials on a resume. Where is the humanity in that? Is it okay as long as you get into the college of your dreams? It is not. Communities are not made up of dead numbers. They are made up of people of flesh and blood, people with faces and a heart. If these people aren’t present then who will be? Anonymous Care Bears? I think not.

Art by Marla Munro

8

FEATURES

December 2009 The Galleon

The Faces of Spanish River MAIN OFFICE

Officer Paul to the rescue

1000 MEDIA CENTER

of capsizing in 15-20 seconds, further intensified his passion for the Coast Guard.

By LINDSEY GOLD “It was exciting, it was adventurous and now I AND RENEE SIEGEL look back at what I did and I was crazy,” De CaroEvery morning, students walk past Officer Paul lis said. “When you’re young, you don’t think, you De Carolis sitting in his golf cart. Throughout the just react. Now, I think.” school, he is known for his friendly demeanor, De Carolis developed many hobbies once he however, there is a lifetime of experiences behind finished serving his four years in the Coast Guard. those vigilant eyes.

He was a consultant and His great list of raised horses on a ranch accomplishments startin North Bay, New York. ed in high school, where In addition, he further he was an avid swimdeveloped other hobbies mer, track runner and such as hunting, all kinds the star halfback and of fishing and traveling. captain of his football De Carolis has traveled team. The success of all over the United States, his number-one rated but his most exciting football team in Rome, trip was to Vietnam. He New York can be attribtraveled to all the uted to him. The team major cities throughout was one of the best in the country and was even the state and traveled able to rent a fully staffed all over New York to boat and dine in the midseek more challenging dle of the ocean.

Photo By Lee ginton competition. De CaroPresently, it is De CaroGalleon staff members, Lindsey Gold and Renee lis’ talent was noticed by Siegel pose with Officer De Carolis after his lis’ sixth year at Spancoaches, as he played for interview. ish River working as an the high school freshofficer for the Palm Beach man team when he was in eighth grade.

County Police Department and serving as a hall Rather than going to college, De Carolis monitor. He is retired from his former career, decided to receive his secondary education but comes to work every day out of his pure love through the Coast Guard, where he learned law for the students; it keeps him active and off the enforcement, search and rescue skills and first aid. couch. Outside of school, he regularly conditions He quickly excelled in the Coast Guard thanks to and works out in his home gym. his childhood love of boats and fishing. It was not “I am 69 years old and am still bumping heads long before he became patrol boat captain of his [fitness-wise] with my sons,” De Carolis said. own vessel. Challenging situations, such as simuA golf cart does not do justice to his lifetime of lations of plane crashes and life on boats capable exciting adventures and accomplishments.

COURTYARD

Q&A with Custodial staff

We sat down with Spanish River’s custodial staff to find out exactly what their job entails. They are a dedicated team of 15 people, some of whom have worked at River since the school opened. Each staff member works an 8 hour shift.

The Galleon: What are the custodians in charge of?

CAFETER IA

GYMNASIUM

[Custodial Staff] Joyce Jones: We work very hard as a team to keep the school clean. We are in charge of the entire school.

The Galleon: What would you like students to know?

[CS] Luther Milton: It would be a huge help to take posters down when they are not being used anymore.

[CS] Sam Ivy: To clean up more after lunch and to try and keep the bathrooms clean.

The Galleon: What can students do to make your job easier?

[CS] Joyce Jones: Please help keep the school clean and beautiful, so we can all be proud of our school, Spanish River.

Information compiled by Natalie Deutsch and Nicole Granet

Class sponsors work behind the scenes

By NATALIE DEUTSCH FEATURES EDITOR From guiding class officers, to cheering on their class, to showing their creative side, our class sponsors cover it all. They are those familiar faces; the adults with the answers; the teachers whose support and creativity help get the job done. Their main goal is to make their class the best one yet - and they have four years to do it.

“The sponsors are great, they have been such a big help. They are very nice, and they care about the senior class a lot,” senior class secretary Anna Worch said.

This year’s sponsors are Deb Carter and Kay Owen for the senior class, Barbara Boerstler and Rocco D’Attolico for the junior class, Amanda Rosenfried and Matthew Quercia for the sophomore class and Kevin Turner and Wendy Woodmore for the freshman class.

AP Art History teacher Barbara Boerstler, the current sponsor for the junior class, has been a sponsor since 1989 with the exception of two years.

She believes that in order for a class sponsor to be successful they must have “patience, a sense of humor, a love and commitment for what you are doing and a genuine caring for the kids and their high school experience.”

While they are a long way from graduation, the freshman class advisors believe their class is going to be different.

“We are extremely organized and we have two class officers who are siblings of former officers which gives us a great deal of experience,” Woodmore said.

Each class has its own responsibilities to fulfill, however all classes participate in Powderpuff and Carnival Lunch. In addition, during junior year, the sponsors and the class officers plan prom for the seniors.

However, senior year notoriously brings the most responsibility for the sponsors and officers: beginning with the senior panoramic picture, Powderpuff and Carnival Lunch and ending with Grad Bash, the senior breakfast and Mr. and Ms. Shark.

With so much to plan in addition to teaching, one might think that the senior advisors would become frustrated with the job at times, but that is not the case.

“It’s not a burden at all because the officers have been reliable throughout the years and creative,” Owen said. “It’s been a good experience.”

As a former advisor for the classes of 04’ and 07’, Dave Yunker said he would tell the new advisors to “enjoy the experience, learn from experienced advisors and plan ahead.”

“As far as advice for current advisors.... watch and learn from Mrs. Boerstler. She is the best,” Yunker said.

Spanish River is extremely fortunate to have such dedicated advisors. While they may not be known by all, they are an integral part of our school and are essential to the success of their classes.

8000

Words of Wisdom

From football games to final exams, here are some tips to help make the most of your Spanish River experience.

“Experiment with your electives to help you find what you are passionate about.”

-Deb Carter, Class of 2010 “Be involved in everything you can.”

-Rocco D’Attolico, Class of 2011 “Treasure your friendships and try to limit the drama in your life- It’s not worth your time.”

- Amanda Rosenfried, Class of 2012 “Have fun, but don’t do anything stupid.”

-Kevin Turner, Class of 2013 Photos by Lee Ginton

FEATURES

December 2009 The Galleon

9

DNA 11: Giving art a new identity

technology teacher Mary Fish said. “It’s probably another gimmick trying to steal peoples’ money.”

By JOEY GOLDMAN Nevertheless, DNA 11 has steadily inched its way STAFF REPORTER towards fame, making appearances throughout the globe on The Today Show, HGTV, BBC, MSNEntrepreneurs Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim BC, Fashion TV, GQ, The Wall Street Journal and Ahmed are bringing personalized art to a whole new Forbes. Their artwork was even featured as a central level. In 2005, the two founded DNA 11: a company part of an episode on CSI: NY. DNA 11’s work is also that converts DNA into custom artwork. Considering on exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in both New themselves pioneers, DNA 11 is the first company to York and Tokyo. apply genetic science into the creation of artwork.

Although Here is how DNA Porthe process traits are the works: after trademark customizing product of and purchasDNA 11, they ing an art piece also offer on its online other pieces store, DNA of art such 11 will send a as FingerDNA collecprint Portion kit that traits, Kiss instructs Portraits and the customGel Elecer to swab trophoresis his cheek in Mini Pororder to obtain traits that cheek cells. serves as an After sending edgy alternathe sample Photos courtesy of dna11.com tive to their back, DNA From left to right: a vibrant gel electrophoresis print, a unique fingerprint, and an artistic rendition of a kiss print. These scientific works of art are an traditional art 11 will extract eye catching and modern way to decorate any room. One can enjoy these masterpieces of art for 199-290 dollars. form.

DNA from the Whichever cells, and using piece of art is gel electrophoresis technology (a technique used for would purchase the artwork. the separation of DNA using an electric field applied “I wouldn’t waste my money on this,” sophomore purchased from DNA 11, it will certainly add a nice touch of personality to any room, both on a decorato a gel matrix), will run it on a ‘gel’, creating a per- Daniel Buchalter said. “It’s just not necessary.” fect, raw digital image of the DNA. This picture is Some people are questioning the authenticity of tive and molecular level. then printed on a high-quality canvas shaped to your the art, too. specifications and shipped back for the customer to “This might be one of those online scams,” Bioenjoy. Personalized artwork is easy since DNA 11 offers over 25 color combinations and varying sizes.

GenePak, a new feature released by the company, isolates and identifies specific genes on the portrait to reveal unique genetic characteristics.

“I think it’s a wonderful, creative idea that would make a great holiday gift,” sophomore Daniel Braff said.

Although this creative new form of art is aesthetically appealing and contemporary, not everyone

The Sweetest Job in America

By EMMA GRUBMAN STAFF REPORTER

Imagine walking into your office and finding 60 packages of ice cream on your desk. You are getting paid for sampling and analyzing ice cream with your precious golden spoon. This heavenly vision is the everyday life of a professional ice cream taste tester, claiming the title “sweetest job in America.”

Although this description seems ideal for any ice cream lover, ice cream taste testers, or sensory analysts, have to commit to extreme diets. For example, spicy foods and drinks with caffeine can easily clog taste buds. Also, ice cream taste testers must wake up early every morning so that their taste buds are fresh, and they drink decaffeinated tea to cleanse their palate. These high standards, however, need to be taken in order to analyze premium ice cream.

“It’s a great job, from Vanilla all the way through to Spumoni, but it’s not all fun and games,” Dreyer’s official taster John Harrison said. “When you are in the business of making premium ice cream, the quality of the product has to be exceptional and it’s a weighty responsibility.”

Ice cream taster plays a huge role in the overall success of a flavor, and at work their responsibility is to make sure there are no changes in the ice cream from day to day.

“I cut the carton in half lengthwise to look for the distribution of the added ingredients,” Harrison said. “For example, when I cut open a carton of Marble Fudge, the fudge should be evenly swirled throughout the container, if not, it is rejected.”

Becoming an ice cream taste tester requires many qualifications. First, educate yourself by earning a degree in Food Science, Dairy, Business, Chemistry or Marketing. Then, immerse yourself in the ice cream making environment by working a scoop shop or an apprenticeship. And remember, always stay healthy, fit and keep a cleansed palate!

Art by Marla Munro

source: www.ehow.com

Electives enrich education and principles such as the quality of unity, color, contrast and space. Jewelry students learn many

By NICOLE GRANET lessons from the class, such as developing an awareFEATURES EDITOR ness to things that they are in touch with daily, Typically, the term “graduation requirement” according to jewelry teacher Michael Lillie.

Fine arts classes also create a sense of accomplishdoes not elicit thoughts of exciting, hands-on, artistic expression. But it should. These classes that ment, according to sophomore Taryn Grunes.

“When I complete an assignment for Art 2-D, I feel teach and encourage artistic expression are part of Spanish River students’ graduation require- proud that I’ve created something that is all my own,” ments. Chorus, Band and Art 2-D are some of the Grunes said.

For students, the immediate effect of a performmost popular classes that satisfy this requirement, according to guidance counselor Melissa Loyacona. ing or fine art class is a break from the grind of pure academics.

This year, Journal“It’s nice to have a ism, TV production, class where I do not Early Childhood 2, have to constantly Digital Design, Web worry about homeDesign, Marketwork and tests,” ing Application and freshman Michael Business Ownership Dobbin. have been added to Students’ minds the list of performare liberated to ing or fine art coursexercise creative es that qualify for expression while credit. honing artistic “Students are talents and disrequired to take a cipline.

The fine arts course belong-term bencause it helps make photo by lee ginton efits of these individuals wellrounded,” Loyacona Junior Ashley Peskind and seniors Kayla Boyd and Victoria Martinez consult Michael Lil- courses are great, lie for advice on their jewelry designs. In class, students carry out the complex process and recognized said.

“Also, these of jewelry making, which starts with the artist’s vision. by teachers and classes often open s t u d e n t s doors for students who might not even know how alike. To illustrate, sophomore Nick French talented they are.”

When taking a performing or fine arts class, believes that TV production made him more passion, experience and self-expression are impera- comfortable speaking in front of others, a skill valued tive. These classes can also help students discover in virtually every career path.

“Art classes teach students how to plan and fulfill talents they did not know they had.

“Chorus helped me become more confident and their plans, solve abstract problems, think outside of discover that I want to go to college for music,” the box, and discover lessons not taught in books,” Lillie said. senior Candy Zecchino said.

For clarification about whether certain courses For a fine arts class such as jewelry, a typical day may consist of anything from project design to count as performing or fine arts credit, see your guidusing sheet metal and tools or a jewelry saw frame. ance counselor.

The aim of this class is to learn the art elements

10

FEATURE FOCUS

December 2009 The Galleon

World goes green

By KATHY LONG STAFF REPORTER

A Brave New Decade

3 0 20

2000

Only 17-20 percent of the energy in gasoline is used to move a vehicle

2004

2008

2009

6

5 0 20

MILITARY ADVANCEMENTS

This decade so far has been ridiculous; I think we can all agree on that.

Some amazing things have happened in the past ten years, and there have been some honest “what in the world” moments as well.

I guess we should start at the beginning. The year 2000 started with a bang.

And by bang I mean mass hysteria and panic. Y2K was coming to destroy us all. Remember Y2K? The supposed computer glitch that would cause massive worldwide computer failures, unauthorized missile launches, plane crashes, nuclear winters – all the makings of a good apocalypse. Well it never

1952 The first Hydrogen Bomb is tested

1885 The Gatling Gun is developed

The 2000’s; what a long, strange trip it’s been happened. Honestly, it was kind of anticlimactic.

Then came 2001. January 15, 2001, Wikipedia was launched on the internet. My life suddenly became a lot easier. Then came national turmoil on September 11; the United States came under the attack of terrorists, the World Trade Center was lost, and almost 3000 people were killed. The year was marred by the grim devastation that hit American shores.

But, 2002 tried to be more positive for us. President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act. Awesome.

Then out of nowhere came 2003.

Well, not out of nowhere, I mean, it came as scheduled. The Human Genome Project was completed. The project had sequenced 99% of the human genome

1916 Britain uses the first tank

1281 The Chinese use Gunpower

In electric cars, 75 to 86 percent of the energy is used for motion

By SID BAJRACHARYA COMMENTARY

Over time, the technology of warfare has massively changed in order to increase destruction and decrease civilian casualties. Modern warfare technologies such as smart bombs and unmanned aircraft have evolved war intensely. The future of technology can be seen through new radarscopes, robots at a soldier’s side and innovations in body armor.

In the coming years, the safety of soldiers will increase significantly due to new advancements in radar scopes. New radar scopes will allow soldiers to detect a person in a house through 12 inches of concrete and then 50 feet inside the room. Using this, soldiers will be more prepared for what may be inside a house before they ambush.

“We have the ability to use remote devices to trigger weapons and can use unmanned aircrafts for surveillance and attacking,” World Wars teacher Paulette Riedel said.

In addition the safety of soldiers will improve with the help of armed robots.

These robots are equipped with an M-16 rifle and a camera on top of a mobile base. A robot can protect itself while examining the inside a house, car or bomb without the soldier risking his life. “[I] feel better now than in past years because it is safer due to the fact they are ‘unmanning the front lines,” senior Sam Levine said.

The future of bulletproof body armor will save lives and make it less painful when a soldier is shot. New body armor will use a technology in which 20 to 30 layers of synthetic fibers are placed in the vest with liquid polymers floating between them. This vest will provide better protection from high-speed bullets and fragments from grenades or bombs. Also this body armor will put less physical stress on a soldier if he does get injured.

The future of warfare technology will revolutionize the safety of our troops while accomplishing what needs to be done.

0

2

By JOSH LIEBERMAN STAFF REPORTER

0

1 0 0

Advancements lead to new weaponry

2002

2007

11

2

Businesses, car companies and everyday citizens are joining the quest to go green and make greener technology.

Now people are gravitating towards smart cars and buying more fuel-efficient hybrids. General Motors launched their new electric car in India called the GM Spark in October. The Spark is small and has an interior design modeled after a motorcycle. Buying fuel efficient cars not only cuts back on the amount of carbon emissions, but also on gas bills.

“I just got my [Toyota] Prius this August and it [gets] 51 miles per gallon,” senior Alexandra Sperling said. “I only need to fill it up every two weeks.”

The Toyota Prius has a starting price of $22,400 which is less expensive than other green cars such as the Lexus hybrid.

But, there is a concern towards the practicality of such green technology in the present culture.

“It will take many years for environmentally friendly cars to integrate fully into society,” Environmental Club president Stefania Volpe said.

Most people are already familiar with replacing regular light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs and changing traditional shower heads with water-efficient

ones. Now newly released cell phones, such as the Samsung Blue Earth, are run on solar power. New technology is introduced to reduce the amount of destruction to the atmosphere.

But going green is not always easy.

“Sometimes these new technologies just fade away because people are hesitant to buy them,” Marine Science teacher Rick Rothman said.

According to experts, the future of green technology is to make sure that there are near-zero emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, including during construction, operation and decommissioning projects. The productions of these new green technologies are leaving a greater carbon footprint than the product will reduce.

“These new technologies need to be green from start to finish and not just the end product,” Evironmental Club sponsor Stuart Klager said.

Going green can be an expensive choice for the consumers. For example, solar panels cost approximately between 30,000-40,000 dollars, depending on the size of the house. Because of this, only about 0.10 percent of the total energy produced in the United States is generated from solar panels.

Looking to the future, green technology is a booming industry with innovative ideas and scientific breakthroughs in alternative energy.

December 2009 The Galleon

with unprecedented accuracy. The human body was infinitely closer to being understood clearly in this feat.

People were feeling good, having fun on a biology-achievement high. Then Libya admitted to be building a nuclear bomb.

Way to go Libya, way to ruin it for the rest of us. It was a bold move for Libya, considering the Terminator had just taken control over California. He’s an android, Libya, he doesn’t sleep.

But alas, 2004 started and everyone was excited. NASA announced that there was once water on Mars. Great, now we had almost water to go with our almost successful ballot system. There was a huge controversy over the ballots used in Palm Beach County to count votes because Pat Buchannan won Boca, which makes complete political sense.

Halfway done, we hit 2005. The Live 8 concert rocked the world. Legendary band Pink Floyd came together for the first time in years to play the charity concert, raising millions. Sadly though, hurricane Katrina devestated New Orleans, killing 1600 people later in August. Oh, and the Catholic world got a new Pope.

Suddenly, 2006 was already upon us and the decade was passing. This year was as eventful as 2002.

In 2007, we had an amazing tale of love, perseverance, and a twinge of insanity. Lisa Nowak, a former astronaut, drove from Houston, Texas to Orlando, Florida to confront a fellow astronaut about to embark on a mission.

She had packed latex gloves, a black wig, a BB pistol with ammunition, pepper

spray, an 8 inch knife and several other items before driving the 900 miles to Florida. Needless to say, she was stopped and arrested.

The year 2008 came in a blaze of glory. Michael Phelps won eight gold medals and was found to be half barracuda and half man with a persistent case of the munchies. Being a musically inclined leap year, Rick Astley decided to “rick roll” all of America with his surprise appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Well played, Astley, well played.

And at long last, we have this year, 2009. Honestly, this entire year is one big Nicholas Cage movie. Only he can find out why Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays and a million other stars died this summer. Maybe it will

SOURCES: SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, CC.GATECH.EDU

lead to a new national treasure, maybe a mountain of Aztec gold, maybe a warehouse full of Oxyclean. Too soon? Sorry.

This decade really was ridiculous, more often in a bad way than good. But on a bright note, because of this decade I can watch 6 Saw movies, see a boy pretend to ride in a helium balloon and buy an iPod the size of a Starburst. As absurd as this last decade was, I cannot help feeling that the next decade is going to be even stranger. By then we might be playing Rock Band: Acapella, Canada might win a war and Pluto may just come back to being a planet. But that’s dreaming big.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

12

December 2009 The Galleon

ENTERTAINMENT

All eyes on Aaron Simon Gross

By SOPHIE LEVIN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR In 2007, an all teenage cast was hired for 13, a musical commissioned and produced by the Mark Taper Forum. The following October, that same play opened on Broadway. One of its newest cast members was Aaron Simon Gross, a current sophomore at Spanish River.

“There are not many roles for people my age so when there is it is really important,” Gross said Gross flew out to New York to read for the part in January of 2008. Out of the 8,000 teens who tried out for a part in the Broadway show, he was one of two Boca Raton residents to win a part. In the show Gross played Archie, a sweet but immature preadolescent with a physical handicap.

“In my entire career I have never seen so much talent in a single company as I have

in 13,” lead producer Bob Boyett said.

Recently, Gross Gross was a lead singer in four of the co-stared on the new play’s 15 musical numbers. He was CBS drama “The Good a nominee for the 59th annual Outer Wife”.

The episode Critics Circle Awards, for the best in premiered on Tuesday, Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre, November 10th.

He in the category of Outstanding Featured played Ben, a friend Actor in a Musical. of regular cast nember Gross’s grandparents have always been Graham Phillips. Coinceinterested in theatre. As a child, it was his dentally, Gross became grandfather who showed him the video quite close with Phillips musicals that dictated the direction of the during the run of 13. rest of his life. So when “Having Graham there six year old Gross’s really put me at ease,” friend asked if he Gross said. wanted to join a Becoming friends JCC performance, with fellow actors is Gross records musical numbers Gross jumped at one of the benefits of in a professional studio. the chance. acting but Gross’s career Since then, choice means he will not he has performed in always have a constant stream of jobs. He feels various Off Broadway realistic preparing for other theatre-related musicals, including positions when he is in between parts. He has Brundibar, A Stoop already begun a career as a columnist. His on Orchard Street, articles can be found at BroadwaySpace.com.

Sorority Queen in a Mobile Home, and Loman Family Picnic. art by marla muro photos courtesy of broadway.com

Art programs suffer budget cuts

By NICOLE ELINOFF STAFF REPORTER Art. It has been studied for hundreds of years and the theories and interpretations have marveled many. However, the arts are slowly diminishing due to budget cuts and fewer donations being provided.

The Miami City Ballet is one organization of many experiencing this deficit in fund- ing.

“There was a reduced amount of donations because of the stock market problems in 2008,” General Manager of The Miami City Ballet Mark Cole said. “Instead of donating $100,000 donors are only donating $50,000.”

Recently the Florida Philharmonic, Sacramento Ballet and many other small dance companies have shut down because of financial difficulties. This year the Miami City Ballet had a “reduced year” where their budget was reduced from $15 million to $11 million.

The ballet is starting its fundraisers and

getting ready for the 2010-2011 season, according to Cole. They are hoping to bring back the live orchestra and make more tours.

“We just got back from Chicago and we did fantastic there,” Cole said. “The New York Times has given us great reviews as well.”

Not only are professional programs across the country suffering, art programs in schools are also having difficulties with funding.

In the Visual Arts Program at Spanish River, students are recommended to donate 40 dollars towards the art department.

“I was so surprised we had to pay money to be in an art class in a public school,” junior Tucker Lipinski said. “It is shocking that the district does not support the visual art programs, like ceramics.”

Due to the lack of funding, the art teachers are more stressed because they have to balance their classrooms both efficiently and cost effectively. The PTSA and the Spanish River Foundation have helped out the art department in providing more art supplies and machinery for the classrooms.

“Art supplies mostly come from students,” head of the Visual Arts department Michael Lillie said. “If we didn’t have students donate money we wouldn’t be able to do as many of

the things we do.”

The district does set a budget for the classes or support the arts very much at all, according to Lillie.

Ken Robinson, British author and professtated that most lose their creative because art is not as importantly as and language. All dren are born creative but as they grow up, the creativity dwindles away.

“Art is important lets me express myEllyn Mcdonald me do things that mally get in trouble For people like art is a class which mind for the rest and many find it that they are erly funded.

Art by Brittany Springsted

n o t art

a sor, kids ability stressed m a t h chil-

because it self,” senior said. “Art lets I could norfor doing.”

Mcdonald, fuels the of the day, unfortunate not prop-

ENTERTAINMENT

December 2009 The Galleon

A New Sound to River

13

Battle of the bands: DEAD BANG!

new songs for Dead Bang!, recording the guitar portions at home and playing them at the next

BY RICHARD BORGE practice. Some songs stick, and accompanying STAFF REPORTER parts are based off of his line and tested out.

Everyone’s part is their own, but the effort to Take your shot, Funboy. make each song work is collaborative; suggesThe crow swoops through an open wintions made by other members are dow and into the midst of a disheveled appreciated and considered. Lyrics, bedroom, its lustrous black feathers however, are in Vanderkooy’s sole glinting in the moonlight. He spies the urisdiction. enemy, a man with the sclerosed veins “I think of the music while I’m writof a heroin addict, lying in bed with a ing lyrics,” Vanderkooy said. “It just woman not rightfully his. The prospect comes to me.” of vengeance leaves a bitter, metallic Vanderkooy analyzes the feelings taste in The Crow’s palate. Slowed by in a song and extracts their meanlust, the man looks up from his parting, transcribing it into a poetic flow ner briefly, and is startled by his rapidly tapped by her amplified voice. Evenadvancing nemesis. The man grasps the tually, a song emerges from this revolver resting on the nearby nightprocess. stand, whirling its slender, fatal barrel Weeks of practicing with each other to face the vulnerable crow. The Crow brought about an increased awareness faces the revolver and says, “Take your of each other’s musical style, and how shot, Funboy, you got me dead bang.” one could fit in and compliment the This scene is from the 1994 actionPhoto courtesy of Dead Bang! other. thriller The Crow, a film that acquired a Dead Bang! members, (From left to right) Eddinger, Kobyashi, Vanderkooy, “I try to compliment the band’s remarkable foll o w i n g Toohey, and Fuentes pose for a band photo. sound, blending in and making the its release and into the music flow,” Eddinger said. next decade.

Among Dead Bang! had booked four shows for the those captured by the a higher level. He wanted a band without the movie were seniors casual, non-committed mentality of those he month of November alone (including WSRH’s Rock The River), which was ambitious considerDavid Fuen- was previously in.

“Music is an expression of what can’t be said, ing they had never even been on-stage before. tes and Katie “We needed to get a lot of our new [songs] Vanderkooy. The but rather is felt,” Fuentes said.

This passed summer, Fuentes pulled his down for shows,” Eddinger said. “But we didn’t pair decided to name their band friends together and gave it a shot. After some really have experience playing live.”

Dead Bang!’s music is comparatively after the infamous trial and error the positions were decided: quote by the main char- Fuentes on lead guitar, Vanderkooy on vocals, mellow to similar local bands, and practice-time acter Eric Draven, an senior James Kobyashi on keyboard/trumpet, demeanor generally reflects this. The band hosts undead man guided junior Alec Eddinger on drums and freshman pages on most popular social networking sites, search keyword “Dead Bang!” to check them by a crow. Fans of Ellert Toohey on bass guitar.

Fuentes set out to work on writing music for out. the movie have determined the term “dead bang” to mean “a dead-on example of something; or to be pointblank”, a good title to define a group of ambitious musicians.

Fuentes started Dead Bang! after he realized he wanted to take his passion for music to

Art courtesy of Katie Vanderkooy

Winter Break activities December 2009

Saturday

Tuesday

19

20-21

What: WWE Smackdown/ ECW Live Where: Americraft Expo

Center

Palm Beach County When: 7:30 PM

What: Comedian Dave Attell Where: Palm Beach Pulse

West Palm Beach When: 10:30 PM

8:00 PM, 10:30 PM

Thursday 31 What: Bowfire Where: Raymond F. Kravis

Center for Perform

ing Arts

West Palm Beach When: 8:00 PM

24

What: The Nutcracker Where: Kravis Center

West Palm Beach When: 5:00 PM

What: New Years Eve

Party Where: South Florida Fair

Grounds

West Palm Beach

30

What: Phish Concert Where: America Airlines

Arena

Miami When: 7:30 PM

January 2010

Saturday

Monday - Friday

Thursday/ Friday 31/1

Wednesday

Thursday

4-8 What: Art Miami 2002 When: Miami Beach Convention Center When: 7:00 PM

31 What: Lady Gaga Concert Where: Knight Center Miami, FL When: 7:30 PM

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

14

December 2009 The Galleon

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ENTERTAINMENT

December 2009 The Galleon

15

Students explore international entertainment

By SAMANTHA SCHAUM ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR In this globalizing world, it is no surprise that other countries have influenced American culture on many dimensions, most notably our entertainment.

British comedy has become increasingly popular in the United States. Ricky Gervais, producer of Britain’s popular comedy series The Office has become a common household name. Due to its booming success, an American remake of the hit 2001 BBC series was created, starring Steve Carrel.

The fictional show is shot as a documentary and records the lives of quirky characters working at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

“I started watching the British version of The Office a couple of years ago and loved it,” senior Marisa Strom said. “I was really excited when they made a U.S. version.”

British influence is everywhere in today’s television stations. Shows like America’s Got talent, Celebrity Fit Club, Hell’s kitchen, Wife Swap, and Dancing with the Stars are all American remakes of original British programs La Femme Nikita is an American drama based on the original French film directed

by Luc Besson. During its first two seasons, the show was the highest-rated drama on

American cable.

Nikita, the main character, is a juvenile delinquent accused of murdering a police officer while attempting to rob a convenience store. After being detained and sentenced to death, she is recruited by a secret government organization and is trained to be a brilliant assassin. She is impossible to trace, since the world believes she has died in prison and no longer exists, and is hence the perfect spy.

White Collar, a brand new drama series on USA, was debuted in October of this year and its plot is relatively similar to that of La Femme Nikita. Criminal mastermind, Neal Caffrey escapes from maximum security prison, and FBI Agent Peter Burke finally catches him. In order to stay out of prison, Caffrey helps the FBI capture other criminals using his expertise as a thief, counterfeiter and swindler.

Cultural fusion goes both ways. Americanization, the spread of American culture throughout the world, continues to spread at exponential rates. People across the globe are becoming as hooked on popular American TV shows as Americans are on foreign TV shows.

“My cousins in India love American TV,” sophomore Vasanti Jhaveri said. “They just watch what we watch: Friends, Lost, Prison Break…”

Over 200 million Chinese download American TV online, according to NPR.com.

Downloading these shows has become such an overwhelmingly popular trend that it is taking away profits from pirated DVD dealers because online shows are free and are available almost immediately after they air in the U.S. Programs such as American Idol, Prison Break, Gossip Girl, Survivor and Battlestar Galactica can be found with full Mandarin translations all over the web.

Other countries around the world have caught onto the rage, as well.

“My family in Sicily love the movie, Rocky.

They quote it all the time,” senior Deanna Salah said. “I also met this girl whose parents loved the American film Greese so much, they named her Sandy.”

Some see this proliferation of western consumerist values as a threat to the indigenous cultures of other nations. Others see the surge of cultural influences flowing in numerous directions as a facilitation of diversity and knowledge. Globalization has expanded the quantity and quality of media throughout the world and will continue to alter lifestyles and skew countries’ perceptions of one another.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

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STUDENT LIFE

December 2009 The Galleon

Step into dreamland

By PHOEBE DINNER STUDENT LIFE EDITOR There is a place where flying is possible, where there is such a thing as the wind blowing through one’s hair right next to a cumulo nimbus cloud. This world is filled with opportunity and chance. All one has to do is close their eyes and dream. Unfortunately, not all students are able to dream as soon as they would like to due to rigorous schedules.

“I participate in a sport that has practice until five and am also on the yearbook,” junior Caroline Cuomo said “This leaves me at a disadvantage for those students who are home the entire afternoon and get to have a head start on homework. I sometimes find myself struggling to meet deadlines.”

Every night students fall sound asleep after a long day filled with activities that range from sports to clubs. On average, students do 12 hours of work per week at home for school (based off of a study at eric. ed.gov.com). They get home everyday and strive to maintain their GPA’s; even those students who are at school until 5:00 in the afternoon are still required to complete the same work as students who have more time after school.

Those students who are up late each night are the ones taking honors and AP courses. They deprive themselves of sleep in order to do well. The school nurse, Carolyn Fietze says it is best for students to receive at least six to seven hours of sleep each night.

“Studies show that growth hormones are only active when asleep, which is why it is so important for growing teens to get sleep,” Fietze said. “Students need to get their energy level up, and sleep replenishes energy.”

These students are striving to do well, but do not realize that staying up late will have negative effects

on their performance for the next day’s test. If one is lacking the proper amount of rest, the brain’s ability to function lessens and in the same way, the brain is not able to problem solve. AP Psychology teacher Tom DiFiglio agrees that a lack of sleep affects mood and memory; not sleeping well will lead to not being as alert and not as able to learn and remember. Therefore, the extra hour spent cramming for a test at 11:30 at night may not do any good.

“I try to avoid all distractions, like facebook, in order to complete my work as soon as possible to have more time to rest,” sophomore Max Egers said.

When students like Egers finally do get the time to close their eyes, their stress from school and home life may transfer over into their dream life.

“Dreams represent wish fulfillment. What you are upset about and how you want it be resolved, what you like and wish in life, are all represented in your dreams,” DiFiglio said. “But, it is not usually patently or manifestly obvious. Most dreams are in a latent, hidden form. Therefore, the stress of your day may result in a weird nightmare or frustrating dream theme.”

To sleep easier, try to complete homework earlier and get a good night’s rest. This serenity will translate into your dreams, where everything is possible.

What your dreams mean...

BY MARLA MUNRO STAFF REPORTER

TEETH FALLING OUT

If you are dreaming about losing teeth, you are concerned about your appearance and are worried about how others see you. This may also show that you are feeling powerless and inferior.

FALLING

Watch North go!

Art by Marla Munro

If you are having a dream about falling then you are feeling insecure and unstable. You also may be giving into others and feeling a lack of control.

By SAMANTHA SHAVELL EDITOR IN CHIEF

3-2-1 Walk! That was the slogan on October 3rd that juniors Allie North, Lisa Gabrielle and sophomore Taylor Eubank stuck to while walking in a fundraiser to support Food for the Poor. The slogan means walking 3 miles 2 feed 1 family. North, a member of the Spanish River cross country team also led stretches and warm-ups for all the walkers prior to the event.

The walk was held at Lynn University and all donations went to feed one family in the Caribbean or South American countries for a month.

Each walker had to register for 20 dollars. With the registered 20 dollars and other donations, the fundraiser raised enough money to feed more than 1,245 families.

“The walk itself was hot but fun,” North said. “I am really glad my friends and I could be involved and help feed a family.”

North’s father is the CFO at Food for the Poor which is the largest international relief organization in the United States. They feed millions of hungry families in 17 Caribbean and Latin American countries. Besides feeding the hungry, the organization provides clean water, medicine, educational materials and homes to the inhabitants of those countries.

North’s father set up a team that consisted of North, her family and her two friends, Eubank and Gabrielle. At the start of the walk, there was a sample of what a house in Haiti would look like.

“Going into the house really made me so grateful for being so blessed to be born in America to two

healthy wonderful parents,” North said.

The walk is an annual event for the Coconut Creek based company. It is only local, but anyone can register online to be virtual walkers and make donations.

Virtual walkers set up a group and walk three miles the same day as the actual walk in their local area.

North not only walks in the fundraiser, but also runs for the Spanish River Cross Country team. She is ranked 5th in the district and 6th in the region.

“I ran track in middle school and my teacher actually convinced me to try out for Spanish River’s cross country team,” North said. “I actually enjoy running especially when it’s nice out.”

North is already ahead of the game as the season for giving comes into full swing.

FLYING

In your dream, if you are flying with ease then you have risen above a problem. You have gained insight and power.

If you are having difficulties flying or you feel afraid, then you are anxious about a challenge ahead and are lacking confidence.

DRESSING INAPPROPRIATELY OR BEING NAKED

In your dreams, if you are naked or inappropriately dressed, you are feeling vulnerable and shameful. This might also mean that you are trying to be someone that you are not and should just show your true self.

Art by Britatny Springsted

www.dreammoods.com ART BY BRITTANY SPRINGSTED

STUDENT LIFE I was on my first date with this boy I really liked.

We were at the beach and went for a swim. My two fake teeth came out and then began to float away. FML

I just finished the hardest book of my life, I was impressed with myself so I went online and looked up the reading level of the book...

It’s a fourth grade reading level and I am in tenth grade. FML

F

M ™

L

www.fmylife.com is a social website in which frustrated people all over the world share their unfortunate stories and allow others to laugh at their misfortunes.

*These FML’s were submitted anonymously by Spanish River students.

Welcome to the twenty-first century anonymous junior said. “One day at lunch, I was texting my mom and telling her how hard my math test was. My math teacher walked past and caught me texting. I showed him the Nowadays, the only thing necessary for text messages and he laughed.”

In 2006, 40 percent of the world’s 220 milentertainment is a phone (with texting calion mobile phone users regularly sent text pability, of course)...and a friend. messages.

The obsession with text messaging Goodbye “Twilight Craze.” Hello Texting is raising anxiety among Craze. Texting is health care officials. becoming more “’[Texting] is a compopular among mon compulsive-impulteens. The sersive disorder that should vice makes it be added to psychiatry’s easier to comofficial guidebook of municate with mental disorders,” said in one’s friends an editorial in American without the inJournal of Psychiatry. convenience of The Diagnostic and speaking.

Statistical Manual of “[Texting] is Mental Disorders is so compelling expecting to release its because when newest edition in 2012.

I need to ask That means the “illness” of someone a quick texting could be classified question, I can in the same book that clastext them and sifies severe psychiatric not have to stay disorders, such as clinical on the phone depression and multiple talking to them,” personalities. junior Cali Lipo“I would consider texrace said. ting a disorder because it Teens’ infatudisrupts me from doing ation with teximportant functions like ting has created my homework or studying new rules, which for tests,” senior Stephen have never been Photo by Lee Ginton Cohen said. significant in the Junior Cali Liporace texts a friend as soon as The popularity of SMS past, such as no the bell rings. texting has become so texting during great that even spas offer hand massages that dinner, no texting while driving, no texting massage the joints that are effected by excesin class and no texting during religious sive text messaging. ceremonies. It is no longer abnormal to Texting has gained much significance have one’s phone taken away due to excesthroughout the past three years and one could sive texting. Nor is it abnormal to receive a only assume it will attract a greater following text message from one’s grandma. within the years to come to raise the 2006 sta“Texting makes it easier to communitistic to 100 percent. cate with my mom throughout the day,” an

By LINDSEY GOLD STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

Source: http://www.cellphonenews.com/?p=741

December 2009 The Galleon

17

Today, I logged on to facebook and went to see my mom’s page.

I was looking at her wall and realized that my mother had more facebook activity than I did. FML

I went to get a routine cavity filled the other day and they began with two shots of novicane. They began to drill and it hurt too badly so I got two more shots of novicane. At this point my face was numb but I could still feel the drill. I have to go back next Monday to start drilling all over again. FML

ART BY MARLA MUNRO AND BRITTANY SPRINGSTED

No need to fear, Galleon’s texting guide is here!

GG (adj.): got to go synonym to G2G, also meaning “got to go” HAHA (adj.): [laughing] HBU (adj.): how about you?

LMAO (adj.): laughing my [butt] off LOL (adj.): laugh out loud LYLAS (adj.): love you like a sis NMJCU (adj.): nothing much just chilling, you?

ROFL (adj.): rolling on the floor laughing U (noun): you UR (noun): your ART BY BRITTANY SRPRINGSTED

18

SPORTS

December 2009 The Galleon

Congratulations to the Girl's Cross Country Team for winning the Regional Champions and coming in 7th in the States Meet!

WITH ZOE STEINBERG GIRLS SOCCER CAPTAIN

The Galleon: What position do you play?

Zoe Steinberg: Forward TG: After four years on the team, what do you think is the most important thing that your team has?

ZS: Team chemistry. Our previous team had no chemisty but now we’re all such good friends.

TG: So how do you guys bond? Any music?

ZS: “Party in the U.S.A”...Turner likes it too...

Photo by Lee Ginton

the coach that he would need to miss some practices due to his travel soccer team, which the coach understood. But, when he had to miss a game because his family was going to Boston, it sent the coach over the top, forcing him to It is difficult to draw a line between commitdrop Camarena from the team. ments to a varsity sport and commitments to A similar situation happened to Mike the family. Student athletes and coaches have Tibbetts who was also cut after missing practice varying opinions on what is right and wrong, due to a family vacation. and as a result, athletes are getting kicked off of “If we had won a game or had any chance high school varsity teams.

I would have cared. Since not, I didn’t really The Spanish River football team has recently have a reaction or been forced to deal with anything to say this dilemma concerning about it except it is multiple players. what it is,” Tibbetts Coach Ray Burger is Missing one game said. trying to revitalize the footwasn’t a legitimate reaThere is no writball program and needs to ten school rule on be strict in enforcing team son to kick off a player. how to handle these policies if the program is situations, but rathgoing to be taken seriously.

- Junior Guillermo Camarena er, it is up to the But, on the other hand, the individual coach of team may not be able to each sport. afford the loss of some of “I wish I had one policy that fits all but it isn’t its most valuable players. that simple,” Athletic Director Kevin McEnroe “Honestly, it didn’t really affect me because said. “When I think of this issue, I think about I really didn’t do much, but I think that misshow much it would affect the team’s ability to ing one game wasn’t a legitimate reason to kick be successful.” off a player, especially on our team where we When it comes down to talent or reputation, need every player possible,” junior Guillermo this year the football team chose the latter, even Camarena said. when that means cutting athletes.

Camarena discussed pre-season with

By RENEE SIEGEL SPORTS EDITOR

“

“

Captain’s Corner

Football players take vacations, get kicked off

Pop Culture Grid Kanye West or Taylor Swift Evan Kupferberg

Kanye West Rocket Power

basketball

Monica Weiss soccer

Colin Melcher

Favorite Nickelodeon Show

Taylor Swift

Moe’s

Degrassi

Moe’s!

Chipotle

wrestling

Taylor Swift

Avatar

Nikki Howard Bloom

Taylor swift

legend of the hidden temple

Dance

Moe’s Or Chipotle?

I USE _____________ too OFTEN

the word “like”

my iphone

My Phone

profanity chipotle Images courtesy of Google

SPORTS

Marching to the Silver Sound

band. It’s the only team that has such a diverse group.”

By LEE GINTON sophomore Emery Winestein said. “It’s all four grade levels and so many different people. And it’s co-ed!”

STAFF REPORTER Only after they have sweated most of the fluids out It is only halftime and the Spanish River foot- of their bodies do they actually start playing music. ball team is already down 21 points. School confi- Every student has to memorize approximately three to dence is low until the band strikes up and the per- four songs within a few weeks. Although the football formance really starts. For about seven minutes, games do not start until after school is in session, they the crowd is serenaded with music that could hype have to have their songs memorized by the time band up any crowd, as well as a marching performance camp starts at the end of summer vacation. that could be a show on its own. But this perforIn order to be prepared for their first performances, mance is not put together over night. For weeks, the marching band must start their practices during sumthe marching band has to put in a lot of time, de- mer vacation. For two weeks in the summer they come to votion and sweat to make school everyday for their shows perfect. Many ten hour practices, things have to be taken into Monday through consideration when putting Friday. When school together a marching show, starts they practice and they comprise more every Tuesday and than just memorizing a few Thursday for three songs and some steps. hours, and someThe band has to get into times on weekends. healthy physical shape.

Also, they perform Before any music is played, at all of Spanish Rivband director Craig White er’s football home who has been leading the games, in addition marching band at Spanish to the away games River for six years, works that are in Boca Raon the student’s physical ton. strength. A typical marchOf course all of Images courtesy of the Spanish River Silver Sound ing band practice will start Kevin Hershey leading this practice evena practicing with a part of the marchoff with stretches and con- ing band tually pays off. This ditioning, which involves year the marching around 60 sit-ups, 40 pushups and them running band competed in four competitions, all of which they for about seven minutes. Following the condition- placed in. ing, the band members marching back and forth “I am extremely proud of the improvement in “drill block” (the positions they march in during our group has earned this past year,” Drum the show) for about an hour.

Major Kevin Hershey said. “They definitely deserve it “The drills get to be annoying but overall I love after all the hard work they put into the season.”

December 2009 The Galleon

19

Matt and Renee’s

Top 5 throwback jerseys FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY TEAMS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN BRINGING BACK THEIR OLD UNIFORMS, CREATING OLD-SCHOOL JERSIES. THESE ARE OUR FAVORITES:

Cincinnati Bengals

Pittsburgh Penguins

Surfing a valley of snow

By MATT CHAN SPORTS EDITOR The air is cold and snow becomes an ocean.

The racer stands at the top of the hill, waiting for the signal to go. As he gets the green light, he lets everything loose, not by foot or by wheels or by car, but by one or two pieces of wood on snow.

“Snowboarding is the greatest feeling of freedom I’ve ever felt,” American history teacher Steve Staggs said.

Snowboarding, and its predecessor, skiing, were developed not too long ago in the 1960’s and in a mere 30 years, has become a Winter Olympic Sport. Though many snowboarders and skiers just ski the occasional slope during vacation – especially those from a state like Florida – professional snowboarding has developed styles of the sport, much like the variety of styles of Kung-fu or Tae-kwondo. The four most commonly known are the freeride, the dry slope, the freestyle and the freecarve. The freeride style is the one most commonly used for recreational skiers, whereas dry slopes are man-made slopes in places where there is no snow. Freestyle adds features to a natural hill or mountain, providing a massive array of tricks. Finally, the freecarve is found only in places with hardpacked snow, which focuses on the ability to turn without tricks.

Skiing, on the other hand, only has Nordic skiing and Alpine skiing, but both are found in

the Olympic Games.

Though many people just need snow to snowboard or ski, skiers prefer places with specific terrain and conditions.

“One thing people always have to remember is to have respect for other skiers and snowboarders; there’s a bit of animosity between skiers and snowboarders. Snowboarders are more cutting edge, yo,” AP Chemistry and Biotech teacher Eric Dybas said.

Among the variety of skills required, a proper stance, steering, edging, pressure control and hand-eye coordination stand paramount. Edging means that a skier rides of the edges of his snowboard or skis and pressure control stabilizes the rider on more difficult and bumpy terrain.

“Snowboarding and skiing also involve a ridiculous amount of pain when you first start,” senior Jordan Reuter said. “It’s not a good idea to ski with your shirt off, I’ve tried.”

Often times, the most popular tourist hotspots offer courses on skiing and snowboarding as well.

Common locations include Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Big Sky, Montana; Mammoth Mountain, California; Vail, Colorado, and the Banff Resort in Alberta, Canada.

Even if tourists are newbies or completely stranger to skiing and snowboarding, all popular skiing locations offer lessions by professional teachers.

Skiing and snowboarding can be learned at any age, and like Reuter, many have found a love for these wintertime sports.

Art by Brittany Springsted images courtesy of google

Philadelphia Eagles

Buffalo Sabres

New England Patriots Images courtesy of NFL.com and NHL.com

GallEON sports Spanish River High School

Lindsay Smith : Position: Center Favorite quote: “The party doesn’t start until I walk in” Favorite team: Duke

Sara Dawson: Position: Guard Favorite drill: Teaching the JV Favorite player: Tyler Hansborough

Chelsea Green : Position: Guard Nickname: AP Butthole Least favorite drill: Suicides

Jackie Green Favorite Warm Up: Jackie- Jumps Favorite TEam bonding: Annual Team Camp out Favorite Practice: Minute-runs (we get presents) Best Trip: Disney world after states 08

Latisha MurrY Favorite practice: Jamba juice run Best team ritual: Sphagetti Dinner Best excuse: I had a football game post-race celebration: jamming to music